


the end of summer

by Rethira



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-23
Updated: 2014-05-23
Packaged: 2018-01-26 06:33:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1678295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rethira/pseuds/Rethira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"imagine a julvin ageswap au"</p><p>Well, I did. I did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the end of summer

**Author's Note:**

> this is very rough tbh, i'll probably clean it up some more later
> 
> (despite the relationship tag this is a lot more Alvin -> Jude than it is Alvin/Jude)

Sometimes Alvin really can't believe it - this guy is _ten years_ older than him? _Really_?

Jude acts like he's Alvin's age. Or younger, even. He follows Milla around like a puppy and treasures every word she says to him.

In fact, the only thing that rings true about Jude's age is when someone gets hurt.

"Seriously," Alvin says, "it was only a scratch."

Jude shakes his head and says, "Scratches don't bleed like that, Alvin. Take your shirt off so I can see."

"Just give me a gel and I'll be fine," Alvin insists.

"Who's the doctor here?" Jude asks, rolling up his sleeves.

"You are," Alvin sighs.

"So take your shirt off," Jude repeats.

 

Jude gives Elize piggy-back rides. She clings nervously to his shoulders at first, but soon she’s laughing and telling Jude to run faster – Milla even cracks a small smile, although she still reminds them that they’re not on a field trip.

Later, Elize tugs on Alvin’s sleeve and says, “Jude said he’d give you a ride too,” and then runs away blushing.

Alvin mutters, mostly to himself, “I bet he would.”

 

Jude never says as much, but Alvin gets the feeling he really does want to adopt Elize. Even though Milla’s sitting tall astride a horse, ready to leave, Jude’s giving Elize one last hug goodbye. All he needs now is to swear he’ll come back for her, and that sure won’t help Elize with the waterworks.

“Jude,” Milla calls, only slightly impatient.

Jude straightens up, pats Elize on the head and looks around. Alvin ducks behind a wall. After a moment, there’s the sound of hooves on stone, and Alvin risks a glance.

Jude and Milla are leaving; Driselle, Elize and Rowen a little huddled group waving goodbye.

Alvin sighs and sets off for Fort Gandala.

 

Jude’s not happy to see his father, that’s for sure. A twenty-five year old man, acting like a mouthy little kid when faced with his own dad.

Alvin can understand the sentiment – and in fact, recognise the dad. Well, well, well, Dr Mathis. You’ve gone native. Who’d have thought it.

Dr Mathis recognises him too, and looks about as happy as a mouse in a mousetrap to see him. His expression takes on the likeness of a bag of sour grapes when Alvin wraps an arm around Jude’s waist.

“Oh yeah,” Alvin says, “we’re old friends. Bosom buddies. Boon companions.”

Jude snorts. “Alvin.”

“Hush up, me and your dad are having a very important conversation,” Alvin tells him.

Jude laughs outright at that, and then Milla calls that the boat is leaving.

Dr Mathis rallies and insists, “Jude, I don’t want you going with... these people.”

“Dad,” Jude begins, “I’m an adult. I can make my own decisions. And I’m going with Milla and Alvin.” Jude turns around, grabs Alvin’s hand and leads him away. Alvin makes sure to wave goodbye over his shoulder.

 

If anything, Leia is even more of a teenager than Jude is. She almost falls off the boat. Twice. Then assures everyone that she’s a very good swimmer.

Later on she says, “I had a crush on Jude when I was about your age, but Jude was super focused on his studies and already living in Fennmont anyway, so what was I to do? He never replied to any of my letters anyway, even though he promised he would.”

“I couldn’t think of anything to say!” Jude protests. He’s blushing a little, and it shouldn’t be cute on a grown man but hell.

Leia sticks her tongue out at him and says, “I bet Alvin could teach you! He’s always sending letters, aren’t you Alvin?”

“Uh, yeah,” Alvin agrees.

 

His mother’s not any better. Isla’s still seeing to her. Part of Alvin- part of him wants to strike her down, but they’d talked about this and he and his mother had both agreed. Let Isla carry on. Let Isla do the one thing Alvin could never do.

“They’re big cats,” Alvin says, “but very affectionate. Especially Jude. He’s always running over to me, calling after me. I think he’s greedy for attention.”

His mother smiles wanly and asks, “Have you seen little Alfred anywhere?”

 

He’s not even really surprised when Exodus tries to poison them all. Uncle Gilland never was very subtle.

 

Milla sends him to get Elize back – they both know she knows he’s a traitor, but she sends him anyway. Trusts him to get Elize back.

At the end of the day, Elize is still a little girl. Only a few years younger than Alvin. If he thinks about it, suddenly a lot of those conversations Uncle Gilland and his mother had make a lot more sense.

Up ahead Elize screams, and Alvin runs faster. He isn’t close enough to get a good shot, but all he needs is an opening- he fires anyway, and the shot zings past the head of the person dragging Elize after them. It hits a nearby tree, sending splinters flying, but they don’t slow down.

They don’t slow down at all until Alvin chases them into a dead end, and then one of them rips something out of Teepo while the other turns on Alvin.

By the time Alvin’s dealt with them, the other one’s run off, and Alvin’s in no shape to chase them now.

In the corner, Elize mumbles, “Teepo, why won’t you answer me?”

 

He’d met Presa years ago. He’d been different then – Presa would never forgive him for holding his gun to her head. Uncle Gilland had asked why he hadn’t pulled the trigger, and all Alvin had been able to say was, “She might be useful later.”

It’s true enough. Presa believes him when he says Milla and the others took off in a different direction. She says, “You’ve changed,” but doesn’t sound happy about it.

“Yeah,” Alvin agrees. “I guess this means no more cuddles, huh?”

Presa just huffs and stalks away.

 

In Xian Du, Jude catches him before bed and murmurs, “Don’t do that again, okay?”

Sometimes when Jude looks at him, Alvin wants to push him down and _hurt_ him.

 

Despite Alvin’s protests that he could _totally_ ride a wyvern by himself, everyone agrees that Rowen, Milla and Jude should take the reins – Leia protests only a little – and then Jude hauls Alvin up beside him and settles them both so Alvin is bracketed between Jude’s thighs.

“So you don’t fall off,” Jude insists.

“I could do this myself,” Alvin replies. “Didn’t I rescue you back in Fennmont?”

“You’re still a child, Alvin,” Jude admonishes, gently.

Alvin falls silent.

 

The Lord of the Skies injures him, but Alvin shoves Jude’s hands away and runs off. There are cries of “Alvin!” behind him, but he doesn’t turn back.

It’s nothing a gel won’t heal. Nothing he hasn’t dealt with before. There were never _doctors_ before. Never healing artes either. Just Alvin and his own two hands and whatever medical supplies he could find or steal. Uncle Gilland had never given him enough gald back then. He’d said, “Why should we give our money to these abominations?”

Alvin had got by. He would still get by.

 

He doesn’t really look like a fifteen year old. He’s tall like a weed; Jude had said that Alvin’s shaping up to be very tall, and Leia had agreed and said, “Yeah, he’s much taller than you were when you were fifteen.” But skinny. Strong for his age, but that first time Jude had made Alvin take his shirt off to be healed, Jude’s mouth had made a little straight line and he’d asked, “Do you get enough to eat, Alvin?”

“Yes,” Alvin had replied. He’d never gone hungry. It was just, sometimes, he couldn’t keep the food down.

 

In Fezebel, Presa says, “I’d watch your back around him. You might think he’s just a child, but the second he’s finished playing around with you, he’ll throw you away.”

Jude smiles and rests a hand on Alvin’s shoulder. “I’d like to think Alvin knows how I feel.”

 

Elize clutches Teepo to her chest unhappily. Whenever Alvin gets to close she huffs and Teepo says, “We don’t like _liars_.”

When the snow gets too deep, Jude asks, “Elize, do you want a piggy-back ride?”

She says yes and sticks her tongue out at Alvin.

Muzét laughs to herself and smiles beatifically.

 

Jude tries to stop Alvin from leaving, but Alvin shakes him off and runs and runs and runs.

It was all a _lie_. All Uncle Gilland had ever said to him was a _lie_. He wasn’t going to take them home. He wasn’t going to help them _leave_. _Exodus_ itself was a _lie_.

Part of Alvin laughs and asks, _what were you expecting?_

 

His mother isn’t there to ask if she wants to go home or not. Isla’s- she’s won. They’ve all won. All Alvin has is a body and an empty room.

Muzét comes and asks, “Do you want to go home?”

It isn’t like Alvin’s ever _seen_ Elympios. He was born in Rieze-Maxia. Raised here. And all his life everyone has said _we’re going home, home is better, we’ll get there even if it takes us years_.

Alvin swallows thickly and says, “Yes.”

Muzét smiles, leans in close, and murmurs, “Here’s what you have to do.”

 

“Let’s move forward,” Jude says, and then he holds Alvin’s hand and doesn’t let go.

“I told you not to trust him,” Presa says. She smirks. “But some people just don’t listen.”

Jude steps in front of Alvin and replies, “I trust Alvin. If you don’t, then that’s your choice.”

 

“Isn’t it hilarious?” Alvin comments. “I’ve been told – all my _life_ – that this is my home.” He kicks at the ground. A little puff of dry, grey dirt billows up. “Some home.”

“Well,” Jude says, “I don’t think people can tell you where your home is. You have to choose for yourself.” He looks at Milla. “Sometimes home is people, not places.”

“Yeah,” Alvin agrees. He has to drag his eyes away from Jude.

 

They manage to find one of his cousins. Balan looks a lot more like Gilland than he does Alvin, and he’s welcoming enough. Tells Alvin he’s welcome to stay. He always liked Aunt Leticia, apparently. Balan advises Alvin _against_ getting involved with the rest of the family, like that was something Alvin was ever going to do.

They can’t leave Elympios fast enough.

 

“Well, this is it. You ready?”

“I’m always ready.”

 

“You can move in with me,” Jude says.

“What? No, I’m fine. I’m going to be a mercenary.”

Jude makes that expression, the one that says, _you’re still a child to_ me _mister_ , and says, “You can be a mercenary and still move in with me.”

“What about Elize?” Alvin asks.

“She’s staying with Driselle and Rowen. They’ve enrolled her in school there,” Jude replies, seemingly oblivious.

“You were going to adopt her,” Alvin tells him.

Jude laughs. “I think two kids is a bit much for me.”

“I’m not a kid!”

The expression Jude makes this time is very, very different.

Alvin swallows. “Anyway, I won’t be for long,” he mutters.

“Well, I don’t know about that,” Jude murmurs, smiling. Jude takes Alvin’s hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “Come on.”

Alvin sighs and allows Jude to take him home.

**Author's Note:**

> [bonus](http://kratosaurioned.tumblr.com/post/86620243675/headcanons-for-the-end-of-summer-more-the)


End file.
